Grounded by Neta Jackson

nodded.
    â€œOh, honey …” Her mother’s face looked about to crumple. “You bought your wedding dress!”
    â€œPlease, Mom, don’t.” Grace smiled bravely. “It’s all right. Maybe we can talk about it later. I’m supposed to be resting my voice, so why don’t you all tell me what’s been happening around here while I’ve been gone?”
    It took a false start or two to get the conversation going again, but the chatter finally picked up about jobs and politics and weather, until Marcus announced he wanted to quit piano lessons and play drums in the elementary school band next year.
    â€œLike heck,” Mark muttered under his breath and everyone laughed. “You boys go play video games or something until it’s time for dessert. We’ll call you.” It took only two seconds for them to disappear toward the den.
    With the boys gone, all eyes turned back on Grace. “Okay.” She laid her cloth napkin on the table. “I need to keep this short, though. Still trying to get over this virus.” As simply as she could, she told them about Roger’s phone call the night before her last concert, Samantha’s mother’s heart attack, and coming home sick. She didn’tsay anything about the humiliating “pat down” at the Memphis airport, not in front of her parents. She’d never been able to talk to them about sexual stuff. And … some things were better left buried. “Then he showed up yesterday and took his ring back.”
    Mark threw up his hands. “Of all the nerve! He’s nuts!”
    She shrugged. “He said he couldn’t handle the long separations when I’m on tour, and he didn’t like our relationship being so public. Not what he wants in a wife.”
    Her mother reached across the table and touched her hand. “But, honey, it’s not like you’d be doing that forever. I mean, you’re almost thirty. Once you’re married, you’ll want to start a family, stay at home with the babies—”
    â€œNow, Margaret …” Her father gave a warning shake of his head.
    Her mother looked surprised. “Well, wouldn’t she?”
    Grace shook her head. “I don’t know, Mom. We never talked about it. That’s what’s so weird. This seemed to come out of the blue. But then, late-night long-distance phone calls when I’m on tour aren’t exactly ideal for keeping up with each other. Somehow I missed the clues. But … Roger was quite clear. The engagement’s off.”
    Her brother’s face was a thundercloud. “Probably has his eye on some other bimbo at that matchmaking factory out at County Line.”
    Grace made a wry face. “What do you mean, some
other
bimbo, dear brother?”
    Mark turned red. “Oh, you know what I mean. How old is Roger … thirty-two? And doesn’t he teach some college-age Sunday school class? Mature single guy … college girls on a manhunt … recipe for disaster.”
    Denise poked her husband. “I think you need to shut up, Mark.”
    Grace felt the tears start. She picked up her napkin and dabbed her eyes. “Yes, please. Don’t start any gossip about Roger. I don’t know what happened. Right now, you guys just need to understand that it’s over. And I’m so glad you’re my family. I—” It was no use. The tears spilled over. Her shoulders shook.
    â€œOh, sweetheart.” Her father moved over to the seat vacated by Luke and wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed on his shoulder.“It’s okay, it’s going to be all right. You’ll always be our Golden Girl. Go ahead and cry.”
    Golden Girl …
Her father’s words made her cry even harder. Not so golden. Not if they knew. But held against her father’s chest, Grace’s sobs gradually eased as the others quietly started to clear the table. Grace heard her